Juvenile justice merger wins Senate approval

A Senate bill that sailed through the chamber today would create a 11-member board, appointed by Gov. Rick Perry, to lead a new Texas Juvenile Justice Department.

The proposal would merge the Texas Youth Commission and the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission in the wake of management issues and sexual assault allegations that have plagued TYC, especially since 2007.

The Senate voted unanimously today to approve SB 653, by Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, who has been cautiously optimistic the proposal would pass this session. Whitmire is chairman of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee.

From the beginning he had the full support of his counterpart in the House, state Rep. Jerry Madden, R-Plano, who chairs the House Corrections Committee. The bill now goes to the House for consideration.

Whitmire citied a unanimous vote by the Texas Sunset Commission in January to recommend that state lawmakers merge the TJPC and TYC, which has about 1,400 youths in 10 locations currently in its care.

The budget shortfall will force the closure of three TYC facilities this year, and Whitmire says that trend will likely continue because the agency’s juvenile population is on a steady decline.

“In due time, I would think several more would be closed, and we have that language in there where the counties get the first option on that property,” he said. “We might mothball one or two for maybe future use by TDCJ, some might be used by local school districts or junior colleges.”

Both chairmen said at press conference last month that the merger would be a win-win for Texas, because it would save money — they say upwards of $50 million every year — as well as address some of the systemic problems in Texas’ juvenile justice system.

Whitmire said it costs half to keep a youth in his community than treat them at a TYC facility, which costs an estimated $120,000.

“But the real benefit is they’re be in areas where they have professional health — mental health, education, drug and alcohol,” he said. “This is just a merger of two agencies so they can have a seamless program.”